Index



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

M. LEVY.

INDEX.

Patented Aug. 12,1884.

(No Model.) Y I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. LEVY.

I q INDEX. No. 303,440. Patented Aug. 12, 1884.

N. PETYERS Plwm-Liihoguphcr. Washmglou D C.

@ UNirEn TATES /ATENT Prion.

MAX LEVY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 303,440, dated August 12,1884.

Application filed January 7, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Max LEVY, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of Galil'ornia, have invented an Improvement in .ln-

. dexes; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an improved index, which is principally useful in connection with lodgers used in bookkeeping to facilitate the work of posting, &c.

It consists of stiff covers of considerable length, having narrow sheets of paper bound into them, so as to form an independent series of three, four, or more sets having lines parallel with the back of the book. These sets are bound into the covers, so asto extend from the back to the front, lying side by side, so as to fill the space between the covers from end to end, and the leaves of each set may be lifted independently. In dex-letters are printed upon the lower or front edges of the sheets, which are so out as to expose them, and by the use of a stylus the leaves may be readily turned back to expose the ones below with the names inscribed thereon. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the book with the cover thrown back, exposletters. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of one set of leaves removed.

a a are two stiff covers with a flexible back, into which are bound sets of narrow leaves b l), which are longest in the direction from the back to the front, and are separated so that there maybe three, four, or more in the space from one end of the book to the other. These sets of narrow leaves are ruled parallel with the back, and have index-letters arranged upon their lower or front edges, as shown. If there are four sets of leaves, as shown in the present case, each set may have one-fourth of the letters of the alphabet-that is, the letters from A to F will form a line upon the left side of the left section, those from G to L at the left of the second sect-ion, and so on. Commencing with A upon the left side of the upper sheet, the letters A and B may be printed in smaller type with it, the leaf being cut as shown in Fig. 1, so as to allow the part with ing the independent series'of leaves with their the letters to project beyond the edge of the sheet. The next sheet below extends far enough to the right, to allow two more letters, as O and D, to beprinted upon its edge. Upon the ncxt sheet below, which projects to the right of the second, are the letters F and, G, andso on until Y or Z is reach ed at the extreme right, the leaves being cut away for each pair of letters, as shown in Fig. 2. This makes all the necessary combination for names commencing with A. The next leaf is extended beyond the one marked A, and is marked B, with a smaller A at its right. The next leaf of this series is extended to the right, and may have the letter E, or the first probable combination with B, and this line is extended in like manner-with the first to include all probable combinations of letters to form names, or one or two blankleaves may be left for names which may have to be written in. In like manner combinations of letters with O, D, E, and F are printed upon the succeeding sheets until the front of the first section is reached. Similar combinations are made with the letters of all the succeeding sections to the end of the alphabet, and the index is completed.

Touse this index it is laid with the front edge toward the operator, and the upper cover thrown back to expose the sections with their letters. A pointed stick or stylus, d, is conveniently held by a loop in the cover, and this is used toraise the leaves in looking for names. The names commencing with any letter, with a certain letter following, are written upon the sheet having this second letter, which is in a line with the initial letter. If thus the name Elder is to be found, the stylus is inserted beneath the leaf which is in line with the letter E, and which has the letter L printed upon it. will be seen, and in this manner any name in the index may be easily found without the delay and labor of turning over numerous leaves from side to side, or backward and forward. It leaves the right hand free to use the pen to put the page-numbers opposite the entries in the j ournal-book, and is very simple and rapid.

Experience shows that almost every known or probable name may be written in an index arranged with the combination of letters here shown, and in some cases it is better to put two or more of the combining second letters 1 upon each leaf, when the number of names under them is likely to be limited.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 1 1. An index consisting of independent sets of leaves bound into a single cover side by side with the letters of the alphabet printed along their left edges, and letters which may combine with these as second letters of names printed in a line upon the succeeding sheets below, which are exposed to the right, substantially as herein described.

2. An index consisting of independent seetious of sheets bound into a single volume side by side with their free edges toward the front, and having letters printed upon stubs which project from the front edges of thesheets, and combination second letters of names printed upon the succeeding sheets below, where the edges of their stubs are exposed to the right of the principal or initial letter, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

MAX LEVY. WVitnesses:

B. PULVERMAN, S. Tl-IORN. 

